1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an external vehicle mirror and, more particularly, to an external vehicle mirror having multiple illumination modes. In one aspect, the invention relates to vehicle external mirrors incorporating an illumination device mounted for movement between multiple functional positions. In another aspect, the invention relates to an assembly of light-emitting diodes of different colors for selectively producing, in combination, colored light for different vehicular functions.
2. Description of the Related Art
External mirrors are ubiquitous for contemporary motor vehicles and have long been used to aid the driver in operating the vehicle, especially in improving the rearward view of the driver. Over time, more and more functionality has been incorporated into the external mirrors. For example, it is common to pivot or fold the external mirror against the vehicle body and prevent the jarring of the mirror when the vehicle is not operated. The mirror-folding function can incorporate a power assist, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,646, which is incorporated by reference.
Functionality can also be added by incorporating lights for illuminating portions of the vehicle or the surrounding area into external mirrors, such as are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,371,659, 6,176,602, 6,086,229, and 5,871,275, which are incorporated in their entirety herein by reference. These lights are used for several different illumination modes. One mode of illumination is a downwardly directed illumination source that illuminates a portion of the vehicle, generally one of the front door areas, adjacent the external mirror. This type of downwardly directed illumination source is often referred to as a “puddle light.” Another illumination mode is accomplished by a rearwardly directed light, which illuminates the portion of the vehicle behind the mirrors and is useful in reverse operation of the vehicle. This mode of illumination is often referred to as a “rear assist light.” An additional illumination mode comprises illumination sources incorporated into the external mirror to perform a turn signal indicator function, referred to as a “turning mode.”
Since many of the illumination modes are very useful and convenient to the vehicle operator, it is desirable to incorporate as many illumination modes in an external mirror as possible. Unfortunately, several characteristics of the external mirror and the vehicle marketplace make it difficult to incorporate multiple illumination modes in a single external mirror.
External mirror assemblies are typically constructed to minimize their cross-sectional profile to reduce aerodynamic drag, which can improve vehicle fuel efficiency and reduce the associated wind-generated noise of the mirror. The tendency to reduce or minimize the cross-sectional profile of the mirror results in little available interior volume in the mirror assembly for locating the light assemblies needed for the multiple illumination modes. To the extent that interior volume is available for mounting the illumination source, the location of the available interior volume is not always at a location where the illumination source can illuminate the desired area. The undesirable location of available interior volume is exacerbated when multiple modes of illumination are desired.
The characteristics of the vehicle parts manufacturing marketplace in general and the exterior mirrors specifically impose additional constraints and hurdles for providing a suitable multiple illumination mode external mirror. The exterior mirror marketplace has conflicting characteristics: increased functionality versus reduced cost and reduced part count. Reduced part count for the most part is related to cost. Thus, while there is a desire for multiple illumination modes, they typically must be accomplished with minimal cost and part count increases.
Illumination devices in vehicles have typically employed incandescent lamps, which typically have a limited useful life, lack ease of replacement, and have a tendency to burn out, particularly in a harsh environment. Furthermore, incandescent lamps tend to be relatively large. Thus, incandescent lamps have been replaced with light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, there are limitations in doing so. Significantly, it is difficult to emit white light from an LED, and, although it is possible to do so, the white-light LEDs can be expensive. Use of LEDs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,072 to Turnbull et al., issued Oct. 17, 2000, which uses a mixture of amber and blue-green LEDs to produce an “effective” or synthetic white light. A lighting device for motor vehicles utilizing LEDs is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,347,880 and 6,152,590.